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He tightened his jaw, bringing his teeth closer to the artery…

And then, suddenly, the boar wasn’t there.

But James was.

And Robb’s teeth were still in his neck.

“Hello, Robb,” he said wetly, blood spilling from between his lips.

Robb stared.

“Well?” said James. “Aren’t you going to do it?”

Robb knew he had to. And he would. But the shock of seeing James’s face – of having to kill him in human form, while he was chatting away as if they’d just bumped into each other on the street – had thrown him for a loop.

James sighed.

“You always were too damn noble for your own good,” he said. “Honestly, Robb, I don’t even know how you survived this long.” Shaking his head, James sighed again. “But now, your time is up.”

Robb felt a sudden thudding in his gut, followed a moment later by a pain that burned like fire, and it took him a long, long moment to put two and two together. Turning, he saw James’s blood-covered fist against his side – and clutched in that fist was a blade.

A blade that was now stabbed into Robb’s belly.

He stabbed me. James had a knife on him, and he stabbed me.

Treachery! the dingo cried, its usual calm demeanor slipping away. It had a strongly held belief in the rules of fair play, even where Hargreaves was concerned, and it struggled to deal with any challenges to its worldview.

Robb felt his jaw slackening, loosening its grip on James’s throat – and then he felt himself sliding to the ground as James stood.

Robb!

He couldn’t tell if Tahnee’s voice was coming from the outside world or through the mate bond – or both – but he could definitely feel her fear and horror.

And her determination.

It can’t end like this, he thought desperately. It won’t.

But he was having trouble getting himself back to his feet, and he knew he was in no shape to do anything other than minor damage at this point.

Above him James loomed, bloody knife in hand.

Tahnee, get out of here, Robb thought, sending the feeling toward her with all his might. Go. Get the others and bring them here – maybe I can keep him distracted so that they can take him down. Even if you can’t save me, you have to save yourself.

The feeling he received back from her didn’t have words, precisely, but Robb would’ve sworn that he heard her voice saying Get stuffed, Robbo. I’m not going anywhere.

Get away from here! he thought frantically. Please!

James examined his sullied blade thoughtfully, before looking back down at Robb.

“You know, I will miss you somewhat,” he said. He paused. Shrugged. “But I’ll get over it.”

The knife arced downwards, red and bloody, and Robb took the moment to regret the new life that he’d been so close to embarking on, and the pain that witnessing his death would cause Tahnee. He regretted all the wasted years of inaction, of being too caught up in his own sense of self-righteousness to see if he could’ve found some kind of middle ground to meet her on.

But he also couldn’t bring himself to regret all of it. That one glorious day and night with Tahnee had been the most alive he’d ever felt, and if dying was the price he had to pay, then he thought he could deal with that.

Tahnee, I’m sorry we didn’t have longer. Thank you for everything.

James seemed to be moving so slowly as to not be moving at all, and Robb felt a hint of frustration. He’d heard of time slowing down just before death, but this was getting ridiculous. If he was going to die here, he would rather it was quick.